It
is well known that the men and women who serve our country by going abroad to
face combat return home with scars that are both physical and mental. War veterans
often have a difficult time adjusting to life back home and turn to drugs and
alcohol to help them cope. Inevitably, the overuse of drugs and/or alcohol
will lead to involvement in the criminal justice system. In 2013, the General
Division initiated a special court to assist those veterans who are involved in
criminal behavior and who also struggle with disorders due to their combat
experience.

The
Honorable Dennis J. Adkins founded Montgomery County’s first Veterans Treatment
Court (VTC) and presided over its initial session on November 20, 2013. This
new court is a voluntary program that includes regular court appearances before
a designated VTC judge and a treatment plan specifically designed for each veteran.
Treatment is provided through the combined efforts of the Montgomery County VTC
Judge, the Probation Department, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other
community agencies.

The structure of the Veterans
Treatment Court is separated into three phases:

·Phase 2 (minimum additional 60
days) - The veteran and treatment team will identify goals that are challenging
to the veteran and focus on ways to improve reaching treatment plan goals and
to reduce overall stress. Additional goals and objectives may be added to the
treatment plan goals during this phase.

·Phase 3 (minimum additional 90
days) – The veteran’s ongoing recovery needs are assessed and include total
abstinence from all drugs. The focus is on problem-solving and daily living
skills. The veteran will be prepared to return to the community as a
productive and responsible member of society and will help to build a stable
life outside of the criminal justice system.

There
are several factors that make a veteran eligible for our Treatment Court. First,
the veteran must plead guilty to his/her crime, thus taking responsibility for
the criminal behavior. Any veteran who pleads guilty to a 3rd, 4th,
or 5th degree felony is eligible to participate in the VTC. For
those who plead guilty to a 1st or 2nd degree felony, Judge
Adkins will determine, on a case-by-case basis, which veteran(s) will be
permitted to participate. In addition, a veteran can join the Treatment Court
at multiple points during his/her case – at intervention in lieu of conviction,
after sentencing or after a probation violation, or during sentence mitigation.

Treatment
eligibility guidelines for admission to the Veterans Treatment Court include a
diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder or other trauma, mental health, or substance
abuse disorder; a mental and emotional ability to understand the VTC guidelines
and voluntarily participate; deemed eligibility by the Department of Veteran
Affairs; and a willingness to engage the services provided.

When
a veteran joins the General Division’s Treatment Court, he/she demonstrates a
desire to improve his/her life. The veteran must work closely with the treatment
team to achieve their recovery goals. The treatment team wants the veteran to
succeed and provides the opportunity to develop job skills, connect to VA
services, rebuild family and community ties, access benefits, engage in
treatment rather than incarceration, reconnect with veteran peers, and
stabilize their living situation.

The
Montgomery County General Division is proud to participate in the Veterans Treatment
Court and to provide much-needed services to those men and women who bravely
and honorably serve our country every day.